Remember those late-night reads under the dim light of a lamp? Your 4 a.m. friend that made reading and getting work done easier for you. Or those living room lamps that lifted the elegance of a room. Glorified for their appearance and versatility, modern table lamps are one of the most intriguing decorative items that bring out the personality of a place.

Miss K Beautiful Table Lamp by Philippe Starck

Table lamps can be an efficient light source for contemporary spaces. Here’s a comprehensive guide for choosing your unique table lamp.

What is a table lamp?

A table lamp is a source of light that stands on a table or any piece of furniture. In the family of lamps, table lamps serve as the easiest lighting solutions. With the perfect bulb type, shade, shape, and color modern contemporary table lamps can work as a source of direct or diffused light to enhance the ambiance setting.

Miss Sissi Amazing Table Lamp by Philippe Starck

Why do you need a table lamp?

One thing that all table lamps have in common is their portability – they offer convenience and can be moved from one place to another without much hassle. And, yes, you don’t need an electrician for your table lamp – they come with a convenient cord and plug. The invention of wireless table lamps has further eliminated the use of wires, cords, and plugs

.

Aoy Unique Table Lamp by Achille Castiglioni

What’s more –

• Eliminating the mundane, table lamps often add texture and emotions to the place they illuminate.
• Minimize glare and shadow as they emit focused light and help reduce eye strain while reading.
• They accentuate the beauty of the room and act as a piece of art even when turned off.

Types of table lamps:

Gun Lamp by Philippe Starck

While there are several options in the market, you need to ensure that the lamp you are choosing coheres with your interiors. Contemporary table lamps are made of different materials; they come in different sizes as well as shapes to offer resilience, aesthetic pleasure, and ambient light. Table lamps come in a lot of diverse material like –

• Metal
• Polycarbonate
• Metal
• Fabric

While visualizing a table lamp, there’s often a base, stem, shade, and bulb that comes to mind, but the modern reality speaks differently. There are myriads of interpretations available, ranging from portable lanterns, portable wireless lamps, sculptural reflectors to mesmerizing orbs.

Some lamp styling tips:

IC Lights T Black - Dimmable Table Lamp by Michael Anastassiades

• Lampshades: Alter the existing lampshade to breathe new life into your décor. For example, a lampshade with different patterns and designs can revive a boring lamp, adding vibrancy to the place. They come in an array of shapes like coolie, drum, oval, eye-shaped, cylinder, conical, square and tapered, and rectangle – select the one that suits your lighting style and design.
• Lamp Bases: Your lamp base preference must blend well with the existing décor. You can go for a metal, wood, ceramic, or glass base keeping in mind the material and shape of the lampshade you already have – there are no restrictions in experimenting.
• Light Bulbs: The ‘x’ factor of the table lamp that makes all the difference – especially aspects like color temperature, lumens, and wattage. A daylight color temperature is perfect for reading and studying, warm white works like a charm for bedrooms and living rooms, and bright white color is best suited for workspaces and offices.

What is the difference between a table lamp and desk lighting?

The purpose of a table lamp is to enhance the illumination of a room and mostly add on to the interior décor. Whereas desk lamps or study lamps have a more restricted functioning of providing task light – they are used for specific tasks like reading, studying, and computer work. They are commonly fixed with the help of a clasp or clamp – you can place it on a desk or even connect it with a shelf or piece of furniture.

Where can you place the table lamp?

Bon Jour by Philippe Starck

And we actually came to the point – where should I keep my table lamp?

Any place that requires a mix of direct and diffused lighting can be suitable for a table lamp. They add magnificence to a room even when they are switched off. The installation of modern table lights is more convenient than any other lighting fixtures and can be rearranged depending on your mood and preference.

Best places for a table lamp includes:

• Side tables
• Consoles
• Bedside tables
• Eating surfaces
• Bedrooms
• Living rooms
• Offices
• Lobbies
• Dining areas

Copycat - Dimmable LED table lamp by Michael Anastassiades

Table lamp placement guide:

What’s the perfect placement of a table lamp – when it doesn’t shine directly into your eyes. An adequately scaled table lamp highlights the elegance and sophistication of any room. Here’s a quick guide for selecting the perfect table lamp.

Chapo Table Lamp with USB Charger by Philippe Starck

• Ensure that the bottom of the lampshade is in line with your eye level, when placing the table lamp next to your couch or chair.
• A bedside table lamp should be in-line approximately with your chin to avoid direct rays.
• For extensive portability, you can go for wireless table lamps that operate on battery and prevent the hassle of wiring and electricity.
• If you want your night to be well lit, purchasing a lamp with a night light can be the best option. They offer accent lighting when you switch the nightlight feature on otherwise, they radiate ambient light.
• For multipurpose, you can even go for the double pull chains that come with two-level lights – turn both on for reading or just one pull for normal illumination in a bedroom or watching your favorite show.
• Nowadays, some lamps come with easy charging (USB ports) for your electronic devices and are often known as the USB table lamp.
• Make sure that the table lamp you choose goes with the furniture, home, and office décor – if the interiors are bold, a thin and small lamp will be as good as invisible. On the other hand, a large lamp on a small table will look dull and overdone.

How Can You Maintain Your Favorite Lamp?

Lampadina – LED Table Lamp by Achille Castiglioni

To ensure the longevity of your favorite table lamps, keep the following tips in mind

• Don’t clean an incandescent bulb while it’s on.
• Always go for an LED table lamp.
• Clean the dust off every six to twelve months.
• Never use cool water for cleaning, it will shatter the hot bulb.
• Replace your bulbs regularly to ensure ample and consistent lighting.

What are some of the most trending designer table lamps?

When you blend art with functionality that matches with your lighting purpose, you can get the perfect table lamp – something that’ll be a trend in itself. Here’s an exclusive collection of table lamps that will inspire you to choose the ideal one.

Bellhop - Portable LED Table Lamp with USB Charger and 24hrs Autonomy by E Barber & J Osgerby

Biagio - Marble Table Lamp by Tobia Scarpa

Gaku - LED Table Lamp Dimmable with Wireless Charger for your Phone by Nendo Oki Sato

May Day -Utility LED Lamp Dimmable by Konstantin Grcic

Gatto Table Lamp with Cocoon Exterior by Achille Castiglioni

Browse through our collection of traditional Italian-style, modern, LED, and unusual designer modern table lamps to encounter the bestselling favorites.